The President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, departed this Friday for the Paraguayan capital to be the honorary witness at the signing of the highly anticipated Association Agreement between Mercosur and the European Union, a commercial pact that will open new markets and business opportunities for Panama. The strategic agreement between South America and Europe creates the world's largest free trade zone, connecting more than 700 million consumers on two continents. The signing will take place on Saturday, January 17, 2026, from 11:30 a.m. Asunción time (9:30 a.m. Panama time), at the José Asunción Flores Grand Theater of the Central Bank of Paraguay. President Mulino accepted a formal invitation from his Paraguayan counterpart, Santiago Peña, given that this South American nation currently holds the Pro Tempore Presidency of Mercosur. The delegation accompanying Mulino includes Minister of Foreign Affairs Javier Martínez-Acha; and the Ambassador of Panama to Paraguay, Humberto Jirón. The signing of the association agreement will be carried out by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the member states of Mercosur and the Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security of the European Union, Maroš Šefčovič. Mulino and other presidents of Mercosur member countries, as well as the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, will attend the event as honorary witnesses. This new situation represents an extraordinary opportunity for Panama, which joined Mercosur in the year 2025.
